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Madden NFL 25 Tips: How to Run the Ball!

Let’s go over some tips to help you be more successful in the run game. With so much focus going into the brand-new Run Free system and improvements in blocking, there are plenty of chances to win with a ground-and-pound style this season. Here are the most noticeable areas of improvement and tips for how you can quickly relearn how to pound the ball this season.

Too many gamers force runs like the Power O outside—trust your blockers to open holes!

Last season, gamers learned you can’t just lazily run up the back of your lineman and expect success, so many gamers wanted to bounce the runs outside. In Madden NFL 25, if you’re running a play that is designed between the tackles, do your best to keep it inside. There will be a hole that you can wait for and then time a nice acceleration burst right through. The easiest way to be consistent in the run game is to keep the majority of the runs inside, especially with the new contextual awareness, which will have backs more aware of their surroundings. Last season, runs were either huge gains or negative runs, but with this one change, the running game has become a more consistent chain mover!

4. Use Your Moves

Setting up your moves can pay off later in the game, as a few early jukes can lead to trucks later!

Madden NFL 25 is set up to run with any position player who has the ball in his hands, but not every player has a full move arsenal like an HB. You must understand which player you have carrying the ball. You don’t want to risk your QB taking a big hit because you decided to spin into traffic when you could have easily slid. If you have a power-style back on third and 1, look to use a truck move. With the combo moves and vast skill sets of all the players, using not just any move but the right move will be crucial this season.

3. Read Your Blockers

The number one rule of the zone running game is: slow to the hole, fast through it!

Reach blocks are one new type of block in Madden NFL 25. These look different from anything you have seen before, and you need to learn how to read them! A reach block is when the offensive line works to steer or turn their defensive linemen one direction or the other. This works to create different openings for the HB to run through. If you are trying to get to the outside on a toss play but your lineman misses his block, you could possibly see an inside lane open up. Yes, the play you wanted to run wasn’t a success, but you still may be able to pick up a few yards on the fly. There is also much better downfield blocking this year. If you see a defender slip off a block one way, look to help your lineman out and improvise off of it. Not only does it make the run game more fun, but it will absolutely increase your yards per carry.

2. Cut Back

Work on running the HB Stretch in practice mode to learn the timing of double-team blocks on the edge.

With a shifty HB, a well-timed hard cut can really gash the defense. On the HB Stretch run, the TE and tackle double-team the defensive end towards your run path. This should create a great edge seal before the TE slips upfield to pick up the LB. If anybody slips off the edge, be ready to use that left stick to really dig in and cut upfield. Learning the timing of these plays and running towards your strongest lineman is a great way to build around the run game. Read your blocks, make one cut, and then go!

1. Follow Your Blockers and Run Path

Your blockers will head downfield to help you out, but they usually plan for where the run is supposed to be going!

With the updates to the run-block targeting system this year, your teammates will often help build you a convoy. They will create holes based on where the run should be headed, so trust them. Last season, the WRs on the edges didn’t always hold up in the run game. As a result, many gamers kept their runs too far inside until the last minute, which meant their blockers were too far in front. Now, all the runs are blocked just as they are drawn up on Sunday, and the WRs will get involved. The more you stick to a run game that is authentic and follows the plays, the more success you will have in Madden NFL 25!